Manhattan School of Music

What Manhattan School of Music does

Manhattan School of Music is a private, independent nonprofit conservatory founded in 1918 in New York City, operating from its campus at 130 Claremont Avenue on the Upper West Side. The institution delivers conservatory-level training in classical music, jazz, and musical theatre, and claims to be the only stand-alone conservatory musical theatre program in New York City. Its academic portfolio spans undergraduate through doctoral degrees (Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts) plus professional performance diplomas, artist diplomas, and a precollege program for ages 8-18 held on Saturdays. Specialized programs include the Orchestral Performance Program (the first accredited graduate degree of its kind in the U.S., inaugurated in 1991), the Contemporary Performance Program (launched 2007, with its ensemble Tactus), and the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program.

The core technology assets are pedagogical rather than software-driven: the Orto Center for Distance Learning, which underpins the first-of-its-kind online program at a major international conservatory, and the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) portfolio system that evaluates professional performance experience to award 60-90 academic credits toward the BFA Online Degree Completion Program launched in 2025. The PLA platform is delivered through a dedicated web application portal (apply.msmnyc.edu) with a three-phase admissions workflow.

MSM's business model combines tuition and fees across degree and precollege programs, philanthropic contributions through five named giving societies (President's Circle, Parents' Council, Bravo Society, Galaxy Society, Virtuoso Society) plus an annual Gala, and ancillary performance revenue from nearly 800 student and faculty performances annually, most of which are free. The BFA Online program is priced at $1,800 per 3-credit course ($600 per credit) with a $415 per-semester student fee, structured to undercut traditional BFA programs by more than $40,000. Customer segments are diversified across college students, precollege students (ages 8-18), MSM Summer participants (ages 8-17), working performing artists pursuing the BFA Online, and international students from more than 50 countries, with no meaningful enterprise or B2B customer concentration.

Name

Manhattan School of Music

Legal name

Manhattan School of Music

Website

https://msmnyc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Manhattan School of Music is a private nonprofit conservatory founded in 1918 in New York City, offering degree, precollege, summer, and online programs in classical music, jazz, and musical theatre to over 960 students from 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education & Performing Arts Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Conservatories & Music Colleges (EDAHAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music Exam Prep & Certification (ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, AP Music Theory) (EDAMANAJ)

Keywords

• Music conservatory
• Performing arts education
• Classical music training
• Musical theatre program
• Jazz arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional program tuition. Also includes precollege and summer program fees. Merit-based scholarships are available but MSM does not sponsor students for F-1 visa status for programs at the same education level previously completed at MSM.
2. BFA Online Tuition: Cost per 3-credit course is $1,800; cost per credit is $600; General Student Fee per Semester is $415. Students can reduce costs by leveraging prior learning credits.
3. Donations and Alumni Giving: The institution operates multiple giving societies including The President's Circle, The Parents' Council, The Bravo Society, The Galaxy Society (planned giving), and The Virtuoso Society. Annual Gala events generate contributions.
4. Performance Revenue: Nearly 800 performances annually by students and faculty generate revenue through ticket sales. Most events are free and open to the public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Manhattan School of Music is a private nonprofit conservatory delivering higher-education music instruction in classical, jazz, and musical theatre, ranging from precollege through doctoral degrees. It also operates the Orto Center for Distance Learning, the BFA Online Degree Completion Program for working professionals, and precollege and summer programs for young musicians. The institution generates revenue primarily through tuition, donations, performance events, and grants.

Product overview

Manhattan School of Music is one of the world's premier music conservatories for classical music, jazz, and musical theatre, founded in 1918. The institution offers a multi-tiered educational portfolio comprising College Programs (undergraduate through doctoral degrees including BM, MM, DMA, Professional Performance Diploma, Professional Studies Certificate, and Artist Diploma), the Precollege Program for students aged 8-18 held on Saturdays, MSM Summer intensives for ages 8-17, and the innovative BFA Online Degree Completion Program for working professionals with Prior Learning Assessment. Special programs include Distance Learning via the Orto Center, the Center for Career Readiness & Community Impact, Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program, Robert Mann String Quartet Institute, Barnard College cross-registration, Summer English Study, and Foreign Exchange opportunities. The school hosts over 800 performances annually and serves more than 1,000 on-campus college students from over 50 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MSM Summer: Summer program for young musicians ages 8 to 17 to develop their talents, build friendships, and have fun
• Precollege
• BFA Online
• Tactus
• Center for Career Readiness & Community Impact (CCRCI)

Products and services

• College Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 MSM community members were involved in Tony Award-winning productions in 2026 (22 for nominees)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Global ConservatoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSM partners with Global Conservatoire to expand reach and provide distance learning opportunities for students globally, leveraging technology to connect students, educators, and distinguished artists around the world through the Orto Center's Distance Learning Program.
• Barnard CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarnard College-MSM Cross Registration Program allows eligible students to take courses at both institutions, providing interdisciplinary educational opportunities for students seeking broader academic experiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eastman School of Music: Conservatory of the University of Rochester offering BM, MM, DMA, and Artist Diploma across classical, jazz, and contemporary disciplines. Comparable to MSM as a comprehensive music school with major orchestra training and jazz programs.
• San Francisco Conservatory of Music: Independent conservatory offering BM, MM, and PD certificates in classical and jazz. Closely comparable to MSM as a mid-sized, independent, multi-genre conservatory competing for similar pre-screened audition-based applicants.
• Peabody Institute: Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, offering BM, MM, DMA, and Artist Diploma in classical and jazz. Comparable to MSM as a preeminent conservatory with strong orchestral and chamber music training.
• Curtis Institute of Music: Highly selective Philadelphia conservatory offering BM, MM, and Professional Studies Certificate programs in classical orchestral instruments, voice, composition, and conducting. Comparable to MSM in its classical conservatory model, full-tuition scholarship tradition, and career-launching outcomes.
• The Juilliard School: Premier NYC-based conservatory offering undergraduate and graduate programs in dance, drama, and music (classical, jazz, historical performance). Directly comparable to MSM as a top-tier NYC music conservatory competing for the same classical, jazz, and pre-professional talent pool.
• New England Conservatory: Boston-based independent conservatory offering BM, MM, DMA, and Artist Diploma programs in classical, jazz, and contemporary music. Closely mirrors MSM's three-pillar classical/jazz/musical theatre portfolio and undergraduate-through-doctoral credential range.
• Berklee College of Music: Boston-based contemporary music college focused on jazz, contemporary performance, songwriting, music production, and film scoring. Comparable to MSM through its overlapping jazz and contemporary performance offerings, though much larger and more commercially oriented.
• Yale School of Music: Graduate-only professional school within Yale University offering MM, DMA, and Artist Diploma in classical, jazz, and composition. Comparable to MSM through its conservatory-grade training model and pipeline into major orchestral careers.

Regional players

• Royal Academy of Music: London-based international conservatory offering BM, MM, and doctoral programs in classical, jazz, and musical theatre. Comparable to MSM in program structure and global recruiting, though it primarily serves UK and European students and does not directly compete in the US undergraduate market.

Broad incumbents

• Northwestern University Bienen School of Music: School of music within a major research university offering BM, MM, and DMA programs across classical, jazz, and music theatre. Comparable to MSM's musical theatre and orchestral offerings but embedded in a broader university setting with different economics and recruiting base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/msmpresents
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ManhattanSchoolMusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/88632664354
• Instagraminstagram.com/msm.nyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manhattan-school-of-music

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manhattan School of Music